ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please be advised that the on-line tax and sewer payment system is temporarily down.

Sewer Bills - Sewer bills were mailed on March 14th. Payments are due in the Tax Collector's office by 4:30 p.m. on April 25th to avoid interest charges.

Trenton Water Works Biannual Flushing Program

On Monday, March 25, Trenton Water Works will begin flushing water mains in their five-municipality water-distribution system. To minimize inconvenience to the customers and residents, the flushing will be conducted in the evening, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Trenton Water Works biannually conducts unidirectional flushing, a proactive maintenance procedure to preserve high water quality—removing sediment, eliminating stagnant water, and improving the flow of water throughout the TWW system. Customers may experience some temporary water discoloration immediately after the flushing procedure, which is remedied by opening the tap to allow the water to flow until it is clear, a process that takes up to five minutes. Lawrence is scheduled to be completed April 1 to April 4.

Important Information About Lead in Your Drinking Water. For residents who are serviced by Trenton Water Works, please see the attached notice for tips in reducing lead in your drinking water.

Aqua New Jersey Annual Flushing: Aqua NJ will begin their annual flushing next week in Lawrence Twp. They will be flushing this area over the course of the next two weeks, March 11 to March 22, Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, weather dependent. Residents in this area will be notified Sunday night with an auto call. The water is safe to consume during the flushing period. You might notice a slight decrease in pressure and/or a slight discoloration to the water. If you need additional information or have questions, please visit their website.

MCIA Recycling Event - Mercer County Improvement Authority is sponsoring a Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Electronics Recycling Event on March 30, 2019, between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Dempster Fire School. Click here for full details.

April Health Programs. Please check out the programs the Lawrence Township Health Department is sponsoring in April. See flyer for more details.

Annual Stream Cleanup. Join our Public Works Department with your neighbors to help clean up Colonial Lake Park on April 6, 2019. See flyer for more details.

Annual Egg Hunt - Come out and celebrate spring at the annual Egg Hunt sponsored by the Police Department. The event will be held on April 13, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., rain or shine at Central Park. Click here for the flyer.

Senior Tax Freeze Program: The Senior Freeze Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property tax or mobile home park site fee increases on their principal residence. To qualify, you must meet all the eligibility requirements for each year from the base year through the application year (the current application year is 2018).
More details are attached.

Lawrence Township Home Improvement Program: Lawrence Township is accepting applications for participation in its municipally sponsored home improvement program for low and moderate-income families. Your name can be added to the waiting list by calling Lawrence Township’s consultant, Affordable Housing Administrators at: (732) 892-4292. See the attached for more details.

Trenton Water Works Letter Attached is a public notice (English and Spanish) that is being mailed today to TWW’s 63,000 customers regarding the water utility’s failure to rectify the Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) issue within a year.

Heating Safety Tips Use the attached for some tips from The Office of Emergency Management on how to weather the frigid temperatures.

New Landscaper Registration Policy: A newly passed Ordinance, 2307-18 requires all landscaping contractors who perform work in Lawrence Township to complete a registration form. Please click here for additional details and form.

2018 Property Tax Information for Income Tax purposes can be found by clicking the link to ONLINE TAX SEARCH.

Lawrence Township receives a grant from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for Maidenhead Meadows Trail.
Lawrence Township will receive a $1.2 million grant from the DVRPC under the Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality program to construct the Maidenhead Meadows Trail, a segment of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail through the Township park on the east side of Princeton Pike. See the Press Release.

Public Notice Regarding Required Trenton Water Works Mailing due to Violation - December 2018! Lawrence residents who receive drinking water from Trenton Water Works will soon receive a required mailing regarding excess levels of TTHM (disinfectant byproducts that form when naturally occuring organic matter combines with disinfectants, such as chlorine, which is added to kill microorganisms). This is NOT an emergency situation and there is nothing for residents to do (meaning that residents do notneed to boil water and do not need to take corrective actions). Rather, the mailing is required because the public has the right to know about the violations.
For more details see the TWW notice.
The attached is a listing of certified testing labs by county.

The 2019 Lawrence Township Municipal Calendars are here! The calendar is free to residents and can be picked up in any of the Municipal offices or downloaded using this link. The calendars will not be mailed this year.

Social Security Scam Alert! The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is getting reports about people pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) who are trying to get your Social Security number and even your money. In one version of the scam, the caller says your Social Security number has been linked to a crime (often, he says it happened in Texas) involving drugs or sending money out of the country illegally. For more details see the attached.

Dog License Renewal - January is dog license renewal month. All dogs seven months and older must be licensed. Click here for license application. If you have any questions or need additional information about licensing, please call the Clerk's Office at 609-844-7000.

Road Detour - Beginning on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, PSE&G will begin a utility pole replacement project, which is expected to run until mid-February. The project will necessitate a closure and detour of Cold Soil Road between Blackwell Road and Carter Road. The detour will generally be in affect Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Motorists will be able to access homes, businesses and the Princeton Child Development Institute during the times of the closure. The detour route will be posted.

PSE&G Vegetation Management Work - PSE&G has advised us that they will have crews in various locations around the Township clearing overgrown vegetation along the transmission lines. This work is expected to begin in January 2019.

Driving Safety Tips - The Department of Environmental Protection would like to remind motorists to drive with extra caution as deer mating season gets under way. Please click here for the DEP press release with tips to help motorists stay safe on the roads.

Press Release: The Township of Lawrence and Sheft Associates, Inc. have reached an agreement for the acquisition of property at 2420 Brunswick Pike. Please see full press release.

DVRPC Grant - Lawrence Township received a grant from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to develop plans for the Brunswick Pike Streetscape Project. See the full Press Release.

Public Notice Regarding Required Trenton Water Works Mailing Due to Previous HAA5 Violation: Lawrence Township residents who receive drinking water from Trenton Water Works will soon receive a required mailing regarding a previous HAA5 violation.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has confirmed that this is NOT an emergency situation and that there is NOTHING FOR RESIDENTS TO DO (meaning that residents do NOT need to boil water and do NOT need to take corrective actions). Rather, the mailing is required because the public has a right to know about the previous violation. The mailing suggests that individuals with specific health concerns and/or those who may be in an at-risk health category should consult with their doctor/health care provider. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIOLATION NOTICE Should residents have any further questions, they should contact Trenton Water Works at 609.989.3055.

Statement of May 4 Regarding Trenton Water Works - Please click here to read the statement from the Municipal Manager regarding the most recent correspondence from TWW and the replacement of residential water lines.

Important Notice Regarding Brush Pick-Up - All residents must be advised that the Department of Public Works will be collecting brush as scheduled by assigned zones. ALL TREES, THAT ARE CUT AND CLEARED BY A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR MUST BE REMOVED BY THAT CONTRACTOR. THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVAL OF THIS TYPE OF BRUSH.
Click here for administrative code.

Lanternfly Alert
- The USDA has issued the attached Pest Alert for Lanternfly the latest invasive pest that threatens other plant life. If allowed to spread in the United States, this pest could seriously harm the country’s grape, orchard, and logging industries. What to look for and how to report sightings of the LanternFly are shown here.

Do Not Feed Black Bears: The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has announced the launch of a campaign in its efforts to help residents learn more about living with black bears and the risks of feeding them. Please click here for the Press Release.

Tips to Reduce Conflicts and Encounters with Bears: Even though overall bear sightings and encounters are declining again this year, New Jersey residents, particularly those living in "bear country'' in northwest New Jersey, are advised to take a few simple precautions to reduce the risk of potential encounters. For more details see the attached flyer. Additional information can be found on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and also a podcast they have provided.

Lawrence Township and the Lawrence Historical Society have chosen to participate in the National Park Service's Passport to your National Parks(R) program. Record your visit to Lawrence Township with special passport cancellation stamps. See attached for additional information.

Emerald Ash Borer Killing Ash Trees - Emerald Ash Borer has been responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of Ash trees since 2002 when it was first found in North America. It has recently been confirmed that it is now in Mercer County. It is expected that nearly 100% of untreated Ash trees in our municipality will be killed by the insect. If you wish to learn about Emerald Ash Borer, the threat to Ash trees, and what to do about it, information is available at emeraldashborer.nj.gov.

Public Health Updates

Project Medicine Drop-off - In partnership with local law enforcement agencies, the Division of Consumer Affairs
has made it as easy as possible for you to safely and securely dispose of your unused medications. For more details see the attached flyer. To date we have collected over one ton of medication. See recent press release and detailed totals.

Child Passenger Safety - If you would like to request an appointment for an inspection of your child passenger safety seat please, complete this application and submit it to the Lawrence Township Fire Marshal's Office either by fax at 609-844-0282 or by email at kbarkalow@lawrencetwp.com. Once the application is received, you will be contacted by a Certified Passenger Safety Seat Technician to schedule an appointment. This inspection is by appointment only.

Home Owner Information

Home Energy Assistance Program - This program is available to eligible Mercer County residents. Please go to Mercer County's website for details. Attached here is brochure with information regarding the program.

CERT educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. For more details about becoming a CERT member please contact Jack Oakley, Director of Emergency Management or CERT Team Leader Arlene Bonville.

Are You Register Ready? The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness have created “Register Ready” a registry program which assists people with special needs in the event of an emergency.

Individuals with special needs or their caregivers can register electronically at www.registerready.nj.gov. You can also register by calling New Jersey’s toll- free 2-1-1 telephone service. This service will register individuals, offer free translation and provide TYY services for the hearing impaired.

Help is available for paying your energy bill, winterizing or conserving energy. Click for more information.

WHAT'S NEW ONLINE

Online Tax Search Look up your tax payment history and what you currently owe. (On-line payments are not accepted)

Keep on Top of News and Events in the Township

File Your Police Report ONLINE

Emergency Notification System

In an effort to provide more reliable communications with residents in the Township of Lawrence, the Department of Public Safety of the township has switched to Nixle a real-time notification program with the capability of delivering recorded warnings to the entire community, via telephone, email, and text.